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Butterflies and Moths 



IN THEIR CONNECTION WITH 



AGKICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE. 



A PAPER PREPARED FOR THE 



PiisiLrai mn unm socim 



JANUARY, 1879, 



BY 



HERMAN STRECKER, 



BEADING, PENNA. 



k^f C 20 



1879 






HARRISBtlRG: 

LANE S. HART, PRINTER AND BINDER, 

1879. 



/ 



BUTTEEFLIES AND MOTHS OF NORTH AMERICA, IN THEIR RELATION 
TO HORTICULTURE AND FLORICULTURE. 



Herman Strecker, Reading^ Pa. 



That the study of eutomolop,T is an absolute necessity to the fruit-g-rower, 
the tloi'ist, the general gardener, is a fact beyond all cavil, inasmuch as 
every tree, bush, weed, or llower has its insect depredator, or rather depre- 
dators, for they seldom escape with the persecution of one pest alone ; and 
no matter how unsavory, or even deleterious, as many of these may be as 
food for the higher animals, they are devoured with ai)parent relish by 
these rapacious pests, either in the perfect or winged state, or, which is by 
far more frequent, in the larva, or worm, or grub condition. Nor, as we are 
well aware, do these grubs, commonly known as caterpillars, worms, or 
maggots, conline their destructive powers to consuming the foliage of plants, 
but also attack stems, flowers, fruit, and even in numerous cases bore and 
burrow into and within the heart of the solid wood of large trees. 

What I shall more particularly treat of will be the insects comprised in 
the great order technically designated the Lepidoptera, (from the (Ireek 
lejjis, a scale, and pteron^ a wing,) but commonly known as butterflies ancTj 
moths, which comprises l\y far the greatest number of insects injurious tpj 
vegetation. Nor is there, as just alluded to, any plant exempt from their 
ravages. The bitter sage, the poisonous stramonium, euphorbij>i,and sola- 
nace;e, the tough, unsavory firs, pine and spruce, thistles and nettles, and 
even the dry, parchment-like lichens, all furnish palatable food for various 
species. In fact, there is no plant growing, from the gigantic red-wood 
trees ( Wellingtonia) of California, down to the lowly violet, that is exempt 
from their attacks. Of those feeding in the larval or worm state on the 
grape alone, are Frocris Americana, which, when perfect, is a small, nar- 
row-winged black moth, measuring less than an inch across the wings ; the 
Pandorus (Philampelus Fandorus^ Hiib.,) and Achemon Hawk moths, (P. 
Achemon Dru. ;) two large humming-bird moths, expanding across the 
wing three and a half to four and a quarter inches in dilferent individuals, 
are both beautiful insects ; the first of various tints of dark and light olive 
green, the second of shades of salmon and rose. Both are produced from 
huge, naked worms of either green or brownish color, which are among the 
mosc voracious of their kind, consuming the leaves in a manner frigiitful 
to behold. Allied to these is also the Myron Hawk moth, {Darapsa 3hj- 
ron, Cram.,) which is, however less in size, being only about two and a 
half inches across the wings. The front wings and body are olive green, 
varying iyi shade in difierent examples. The hind wings are brick red. 
The worm which produces this, in addition to eating the leaves, has the 
abominable habit of eating through the stems of the young bunches of 
grapes, causing them to fall ott". 

Abbot's Hawk-moth, ( Thyreus Abbofii, Swains.,) is aliout the same size as 
the preceding, but belongs to a difterent genus, it has an unusually robust 
body, terminated by a fan-shaped brush of feathery hairs. The small Innd 
wings are conspicuous fn* their bright yellow color. The fore wings and 
body are dark grey and brown, variously shaded and striated. This spe- 
cies is far less common than the three above described. Hs worm, like that 
of the Philampelus, is produced of two colors, either brown or green. All 



four of these Hawk-moths feed with Qqiml relish also on the Yirginia 
creeper, {Ariqyelopsis Quinquefulia.) 

The little eight-spotted day-llyins' moth, [Ahjpia Octomaculata, Fabr.,) 
is altout one and a quarter inches across the win_us,of a shining ])lack, with 
two large round pale yellow spots on each front wing, and two white ones 
on each hind wing. Tlie worm of this is a little over an inch long, and 
banded with many l>lack, white, and orange stripes or lines, and sjjotted 
with black. At a lirst glance it has a bluish look, which, on close inspec- 
tion, proves to be an illusion. Its head is reddish, or rust-colored. 

Another allied insect (P.^iycomorjjha Epimenis, Dm.,) is of somewhat 
smaller size, black, with a i)ale yellow liand across the front wings, and a 
bright red one across the hind wings. Its worm somewhat resembles that 
of the eight-spotted moth just alluded to. Another worm very closely re- 
sembles that of the eight-spotted moth, though belonging to the owlet moths, 
(Noc/uidae,) and producing an entirely different looking fly. This is up- 
wards of one and three quarter inches, has white upper wings with deep 
brown border, and yellowish hind wings. It is, in common parlance, called 
the beautiful wood nymi)h. Science knows it as Eudryas Grala^ Fabr. 
There is a closely allied species, {Eudryas Unio Iliib.,) also said to feed on 
the vine; but this fact has never come under my observation, nor am I sure 
that it is at all well autlienticated. My friend, Dr. Pilate, found myriads of 
the larva feeding on Eptlobium Colorafum, some miles from Dayton, Ohio. 
The common white moth known everywhere as the "Miller," consumes, 
in the larval state, the grape leaves with avidity. It is the common yellow 
hairy worm seen everywhere, which feeds on almost any green thing, indis- 
criminately. 

The little leaf-rolling moth, (Desmia Maculalis, Westw.,) is from a small 
green worm, that makes for itself a habitation by rolling up a leaf. This 
little moth is shining black, with two white spots on each front wing, and 
an irregular double spot on the hind wings. The male has a curious sort 
of knot about the middle of each feeler or antenna. 

The worm of the dainty little feather-wing, or plume moth Pterojihorns 
Periscelidactylus^ Fitch.,) devours the blossoms of the grape, as well as the 
young leaves, lirst making a shelter of them 1»y drawing them together with 
some silken threads. It then takes its repast with more ease of mind than 
is possessed by the vine-grower on discovering its ravages. 

The copper-underwing (^^4?7i73/(?p//?*a Pyramidoides^ Guen..) is a moth be- 
longing to the Owlets, (or Noctuidae.) It is upwards of two inches in ex- 
panse, of a dark brownish gray, with bright co])per-colored under or hind 
wings. Its worm is greenish wliite, with a yellow stripe on each side, and 
a wiiite one on the back. This worm is not confined to the grape, l)ut will 
cheerfully take to various varieties of raspberry as well as other plants. 

Another allied species, (Amphipyra Tragopoyinia^ L.,) found botli here 
and in Europe, also takes kindly to the vine for food. These, my horticul- 
tural friends, are the more well know^n Imtterfly foes that you are compelled 
to do battle with in order to sa\'e your grapes, both vine and fruit, from 
destruction. 

As I do not intend to more tlian liarely allude to other orders of insects, 
I will but add that besides these Lepidopterous worms, the poor graix- must 
suffer from the grubs of several beetles, which })erforate the leaves, riddling 
tlu^m like a sieve; from a small Ilemipterous insect called Tettigonia Vifis, 
or the vine Tettigonia, and the terrible Phylloxera^ which belongs to the 
gall insects. So each i)lant has its enemies, and the more value the plant 
has the more enemies will appear to assail it. Those alluded to above feed 
on the leaves, and in one instance on the blossoms. Others, moth grubs, 



besides feeding on these, likewise A\iry their diet by resorting to the fruit 
itself Of this class is the well known codling moth, (Carpoeapsa Pomon- 
ella, L.,) found in the old as well as the new world, which eats its laby- 
rinthine way through fruit, eventuall}' metamorphosing into a brilliant 
golden and silvern moth. 

The worm of the pretty little green geometrid moth, (Ajjlodes Bubivora, 
Riley,) eats the fruit of the raspberry; and I should here add 3^et another 
Lepidoptei'ous pest, (Penthina Vitooorana, Pack.,) afflicting the grape, 
W'hich it does by the maggot or larva entering the fruit and domiciling 
itself therein. 

The Cotton-Boll wovm^ (Heliothis Armiger Iliib.,) also in some districts 
called the Corn-worm, is found in most parts of the world. I have exam- 
ples from many i)arts of the United States and Territories, from Europe, 
Liberia, Australia, New Zealand, Chili, Brazil, and Buenos-Ayres. This 
wretch not only eats, as is too well known, the cotton bolls and young corn 
in the ear, but also the immature fruit of the tomato, cantaleup, and, with- 
out doubt, other fruits in their early stages. This is the species that has 
been confounded frequentl}^ with the true Army worm, (Leucania Uni- 
puncia^ Harr.,) which feeds on grass and grain, and which, likewise, has a 
wide geographical range, I having received it also, from Brazil, Buenos 
Ayres, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as from all parts of our own 
countr3^ The worm of another small moth {Peinpelia Grossulariae, Pack.,) 
burrows the fruit of the currant. In some genera of moths the worms bore 
into the stems of plants, or mine the solid trunks of trees ; the best known 
of which, with us, is that producing the pretty steel-blue wasp-like moth, 
with yellow girdle, (Sesia Exitiosa^ Say,) which bores the peach trees, en- 
tering them at the roots. Another mos(piito-looking moth (Sesia Tipul- 
iformis, L.) is the product of the worm which liores the currant stems. 

Members of the genus of noctuids, called Gortyna^ bore the stems or 
stalks of various annual plants. The corn borer, (Achatodes Zeae, Harr.,) 
as its name implies, bores the stalks of Indian corn ; another species (Gor- 
tyna Nitela^ Guen.,) burrows in the stalks of the potato and tomato vines, 
as well as in those of dahlias and other flowers. The locust and oak are 
burrowed by a large, tawny, maggot-like worm, the female of which is three 
inches long, the male scarcely two ; this is the larva of the carpenter moth, 
(Gossus Rohiniae^ Peck,) which bores the solid wood of the tree, in diverse 
directions, and transforms to a chrysalis within one of the passages thus 
bored. When ready to emerge, this chrysalis, by means of the serrated 
edges of its abdominal segments, works itself to the end of the opening, 
and after the moth has escaped , the empty pupa case may still be seen pro- 
truding. The moth is about two inches across the wings in the male, and 
nearly three in the female ; the latter is greyish, witli fine net-like lines on 
the wings, especially on the primaries ; the male is distinguished by yellow 
hind wings. This insect prefers old trees to young ; the female lays her 
eggs in the crevices in the bark. In addition to its infesting the locust and 
oak, I have found it in an old orchajxl, emerging fr^m a pound-apple tree. 
We have several other species of C'ossw.s, ( G. Macmurtrei, Bdl. = G. Plagi- 
atus, Wlk., G. Qaerciperda, Fitch, etc.,) but these are all very scarce, too 
much so by far to cause the slightest apprehension of injury. In Europe 
there are, also, several species, all but two of which (C Ligniperda, F.,and 
Zeuzera Aesculi, L.) are great rarities. 

But the vast Eucalypti forests of Australia are the true home of this class 
of insects. There numbers of monstrous species tunnel their way through 
these trees, the worm of one of which is seven or eight inches in length, 
and the moth produced from it is nine or ten inches across the fore wings. 



The natives of this region, though earing nothing for the destruction of the 
trees, do not, however, allow the worms to carry out their devices in peace, 
for l)y the native gastronome they are considered one of the most desirable 
delicacies. ]Mr. Titian Peale related to me, that one day, during a sojourn 
in Australia, he saw the little native boys acting around the p]ucalypti trees 
in a way which he could not understand. On approaching nearer, and con- 
vincing the little fellows that he was not dangerous, they went on with their 
oi)erations ; they had long straws, nibbed near one end into a sort of barb, 
which they gently insinuated into the openings in the trees made and occu- 
pied by the great Zeuzera and Cossus larva, they then angled away awhile 
mitil the disturbed monster seized the straw, when it was gently and dexter- 
ously drawn, still holding on to the straw, from its lair, and in a twinkling 
CDuveyed to the maw of the young savage, who enjoyed it with the keenest 
relish. The moths, also, after the wings and hair of the body have been 
singed (^tf are considered a delectable bonne houche. 

V>\\{, now I must turn from the subject of food plants, as I fear too much 
space has already been taken up. Let a word sutlice to say, that every plant 
has not only its pest, but its many pests, and many of these, not content to 
prey on one plant, or even one class of plants, extend their ravages to many. 
The Arctians, which are hairy caterpillars, in their tirst stage are polyi)liagous, 
eating of almost every vegetable product. The larva of the lo moth {Hyper- 
cJieria lo^ ¥ahr. ^=Varia, Wlk.,) will eat willow, corn, cotton, poplar, wild 
cherry , sassafras, hoi)S, gooseberry , rose, and other plants. The Cecropia moth 
{Samia Cecropia^ L.) is also quite a general feeder. The Hickory Horned 
moth ( Githeronia Ii('gaUs,Fc\})V.,) feeds on walnut, persimmon, rose, and other 
things, whilst its nearest relative is so particular as to diet, that it will re- 
fuse everything except pine, which shows but poorly for its taste. The 
Lithosians, a genus, or several genera of weak, delicate moths feed, in the 
grub state, on lichens. But, as a rule, I have found that the vilest, most 
useless plants were invariably the least atllicted by larval pests, whilst the 
cabbage is ruined by the larva? of the Rape Butterlly, {Pieris Rapse, L.,) 
the Zebra moth, {Ceramica Ficta, Harr.,) and others. The S;rawberry 
must stand the ravages of its several leaf-rolling moth larvie {Anchylopera 
Fragaria, Riley, Lozontaenia Eosaceana, Harr., L. Fragariana^ i'ack.,) 
as well as of the Dagger \\\o{\\^{Acronycta Oblinata. Xh. — S.,) not to speak 
of the insects of other orders, especially Hymenopicra. The mullen and 
thistle wax mighty on the highways and road side, and the thorn apple 
{Datura Stramonium) holds undisputed possession, with the ash and gar- 
bage heaps, in every neglci'ted out lot, not that they too have not their 
parasites, but in comparison with the legions that infest useful plants, these 
are as nothing. Nor are Lepidopterous larvjv conlined in their depreda- 
tions to vegetable productions only. The cloih and fur moths {Tinea 
Taj)etzeUa^ T. Ventianella, and T. Pe/to/!t!/Za,) subsisi entirely in the worm 
state on the substances, froin which they take their names. I might here 
mention, that the museum pest, {Anthrenus 3[useoBorum,) Avhich is such a 
curse to collections of stull'ed birds and animals, dried insects, etc., will 
also devour woolen goods with as much avidity as its cousin, the dreaded 
Bullalo bug (Aiithrenus Scrophularise); both of these, however, are grubs 
of beetles, not of butterilies or moths. It might not be uninteresting to 
make mention, also, of the fact that caterpillars of various species of the 
butterlly, jiroliably, more than of the moths, will, from the dearth of their 
natural vege'able food, attack and devour their own or other species, and 
the taste thus begotten l)v necessity becomes so strong that in many in- 
stances they will thereafter refuse vegetable food and fall back on the 
gratification of their canni)»al i)ropensities. 



There are a few plants tliat, under the law of retaliation, destz'oy insects. 
Of these, Sarracenia Variolaris, and Venus' Hy-traj), Z>yo?)ea Muscipula, 
are well known. The insects which are unwary enouoh to i^et into the 
pitcher like leaves of these and allied plants, are held imprisoned by a viscid 
matter that covers their inner surfoce. But I would specially mention an 
insect destroying plant, not as familiar as these, which lielongs to the As- 
clepiad or milk weed fomily, and is indioenous in some parts of South 
America. A friend in Georgia has one of them, which he tells me came 
from Florida, though it may have been originally brought from South 
America to that State. Its proper name is Araujia Athens, (PhysianfJius 
Albens of some authors,) and it is well known in green-houses here as well 
as in gardens ; it has rather small white flowers, shaped somewhat like those 
of the common species of milk weed, but not growing in such clusters. To 
these flowers are attracted a great number of insects of various orders, 
every one of which meets slow but sure death in the grip of the flower. 
The moment the small H_ymenopter inserts his head he is a prisoner ; no 
struggles will avail to free his head from this floral vise. The thread-like 
tongue of the butterfly or moth is not slender enough to escape the deadly 
embrace, and there the unfortunate insect struggles vainly on, held fast by- 
head or tongue, until life is extinct. 

Of moths and butterflies that are beneficial but little is to be said. They 
are beautiful and most interesting objects of study in all their stages, and 
in all parts of the world. They are attractive even to the unscientific lover 
of the beautifid, but when it comes down to any actual benefit to be derived 
from the productions or services of any of them, if we except the few that 
are used as food, we must fall l)ack on the silk worm of commerce, (Bom- 
hyx Mori, L.) and its less generally known silk producing congenors. So 
much has been written and is known in regard to the former that it would 
be absurd to made any repetitions here ; but it is not so well known that 
several other much larger and gaily ornamented species are also silk ]3ro- 
ducers, from whose cocoons silk is largely obtained and manufactured in 
India and Japan.. Among these are prominent the Cynthia moth (Alfacus 
Cynthia, Dm..) the Pern\-i, (Anfheraea Pernyi, (luer.,) of China, and the 
Jama-Mai, (Antheraea Jama-Mai, Guerin,) and Ricini, (Affaeus Ricini, 
Bdl.,) of Japan. The first of these, the Cynthia, has been introduced, and for 
many years acclimated in New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, where it 
feeds and thrives vigorously on the ailauthus; no elforts have been made, at 
least to any extent in this country, to utilize its silk, thougli it has, probably, 
been manufactured for ages in the presidency of Bengal, in India. This 
silk is coarse, but of exceedingly great durability. The silk of the Mylitta 
or Tusseh silk worm, (Antheraea Mylitta, Guerin,) is also manufactured in 
Bengal and other districts in India. Our native silk spinners are the Pol,y- 
phemus, ( Telea Polyphemus, L.,) Luna, {Actias Luna, L.,) PromeHiea, 
(Attacus Promethea, l)ru.,) Angulifera, (^^^aeu8 An(julifera,\\\\i..^) Cecro- 
X)\\\' {Samia Gecropia, L.,) Columbia, (Samia Columbia, S. T. Smith,) 
Ceanothi, (Samia Geanothi, Behr.,) and Glover's silk worms, (Samai Glov- 
eri, S'reck.) The first four produce compact tight cocoons, the others, 
especially Cecropia, loose ones. What value these may have commercially 
is yet to be proven, though Mr. Trouvelot experimented largely with Polyphe- 
mus some years ago, but with what success I am unacquainted. They are 
large showy moths in their perfect state, and Luna, with its long tailed hind 
wings, delicate pale sea-green color, is the most lovely of all our moths and 
will compare in lieauty with those from any part of the world. Cecropia 
is our largest species, dark heavily furred, and with reddish bands. It re- 
minds one of the dusky blanketed forms of our own North American Indi- 



8 

ans, inneli as the faiK-iful s|)eckle(I wings of tlic Chinese Agamemnon l)ut- 
ier[]y,{Papilio Agamemnon, L.,) engender fclioughts of tea chests, porcelain 
vases, and small footed ladies. The cocoon produced by Glover's silk worm 
(Samia Gloveri, Streck.,) resembles arl)orescent native silver; it is irregu- 
lar and deeply burrowed, and in color exactly like frosted silver. This spe- 
cies is from Utah, where its larva abounds on goosel)erry bushes, both wild 
and cultivated. 

Long years ago. Abbot asserted tliat the silk of the Cecropia moth had 
"been carded, spun, and made into stockings." — See Natnralists' Library, 
Vol. VII, Entomology. Before closing my remarks on silk moths, I miglit 
as well add, that the larva of one of them (Altacus Vacuna, Westw.,) is also 
eaten by the natives along the Ogowai river in Ashanti, (according to a 
statement accompanied by a iigure of the moth in the Scientific American, 
No. 150, page 2394, November, 1878,) which will further extend the small 
list of species useful to other animals. 

The enemies wjiicli attack buttertiies and moths in the larva or worm 
state are legion, and among these are man's best friends in the insect world. 
They are mostly from the orders of Hymenoptera, nemip*^era, and Diptera. 
The flrst and last deposit their eggs in the living worm, and when hatched 
they devour their unwilling foster parent. The Ilemiptera, to which be- 
longs man's warmly attaclied follower, the bed-bug, {Gimex Lectularius.) 
impr.le the living larva on their sharp l)eaks,and suck its juices and life out 
together. 

One species of this latter class has been especially useful in lessening the 
numl)ers of the worm of the cabbage Hy, {Pieri>^ Ilopfc, L.) A large Ich- 
neumon fly (Ophion Macruruni, L.) of a reddish rust color, lays its eggs 
in the larva of the C'ecroj)ia, Polyphemus, and other species of moths and 
buttertiies. These eggs, when developed, i)roduce a maggot, Avhicli eats 
ut the substance of the moth larva. When it is full grown, it makes its 
own cocoon within the shell of the larva, and in the following spring em- 
erges a })erfect Avasp-like insect, ready to reenact the same role as its 
progenitor of the season previous. The (Mialcis tlies, {Ghalcis Maria 
and GriiptuH Nunc'iia^) are also parasitic in the larva of Cecropia and 
allies. The Tiichina lly, {Exorista llilitai'is, Walsh,) a dipterous or two- 
winged insect, is anolher unwelcome guest to the entrails of sundry Le- 
pidopterous larvjv. Size will not exem})t them from destructive i)arasites, 
for that minu*^e apple j)est, the codling moth, is destroyed by two still 
smidler ichneumon flies, {Marrocenlrus Delicatus, Cress., and Pimpla An- 
nulipea, I^i'-i) whose grulis i)rey on its larva, as do those of the Ophion, 
etc., on the larger species. Another ichneumon fly (Pferovialus Pufiarum, 
L..) infests that imported nuisance the oft-mentioned cabbage worm, {Pieris 
Pa])!e, L.) This little ichneumon is, in the winged state, a most brilliant 
golden little tly. Darapsa Myron, one of the Hawk moths previously 
spoken of as feeding on tlie grai)e, is frecpiently infested with the larv:e of 
a sm;dl icrhneumon fly. These larviv, after eating the su1)stance of the worm 
until they are mature, come out through its skin, and make their small 
white cocoons on the outside fost to its l)ody, giving it a most novel ap- 
pearance. Butterflies, moths, and other insects, as well as their larv;e, are 
infested with the (lordians, commonly known as hair worms, whicli are 
the long, Avhite, thread-like worms sometimes seen in puddles, varying in 
lengtli from four or Ave inches to two feet. The large species is sometimes 
found within living butterflies, grasshoppers, ci'ickets, etc., and a small 
species is not infrequent in the body of tlie grub of the apple or codling 
moth. Besides these animal parasitic enemies, and the birds and dragon 



flies, vegetable parasites are also found which prey on either the larva or 
perfect fly. 

One species of these affected the silk-woi-m in Europe to a most disas- 
trous extent. I have had larvae of the Polyphemus moth to die from being 
affected by a minute fungoid growth. In my possession is an example of 
a Hawk moth, (Sphinx,) in the winged or perfect state, which has a fungus 
growth issuing from all parts of its body, head, and wings, in filaments 
varying from a mere point to an inch in length. These issue from the su- 
tures, between the abdominal segments, from the juncture of the wings with 
the thorax, and between and around the legs, and bristle, porcupine-like, in 
all directions. I have seen another example, (belonging to Mr. T. Mead, 
of New York, if I recollect rightly,) also a Hawk moth, but smaller than 
mine, and not so densely covered with the fungus. Examples of similar 
growth are exhibited in the figures of Sphingidae, in Cramer s " PapiUons 
Exoiique,''^ on Plate 26V, Figs. A, B. I have also had a beetle from Bra- 
zil which had some curious growth, analogous to these here cited, and 
which, in some places, seemed to have pierced and grown through the hard, 
horny elytra or wing-cases. Most persons who have paid any attention to 
economic entomology, will recollect the fignres of large beetle grubs, with 
two long filamentary vegetable growths issuing from the neck, that appeared 
some years ago in the American J]ntomologist, and other scientific publi- 
cations. Whether the groAvths mentioned above as occurring in the Hawk 
moths, (Sphivgidoe,) were after the death of the animals or prior thereto, 
will be, of course, matter for supposition ; but that they attiicted the insect 
whilst alive is not impossible, or even improbable, as Prof. Riley mentions 
that " according to Dr. Car])enter, it is not at all unusual, in the West In- 
dies, to see wasps, (genus Polisfes,) flying about with plants of their own 
length i)rojecting from their bodies ;" and we all know^ of the fungus that 
attacks the common house fly, glueing it to the window-panes and adjoin- 
ing wood-work. 

The diversity in form and appearance of Lepidopterous larvae is as amaz- 
ing, and even more interesting than the wondrous Ijeauty of the jierfect fly. 
The worms of the Swallow-tail butterflies (Papilio) are, in some instances, 
covered with long, fleshy processes, as are those of the splendid Malaysian 
Priamus butterfly and allies, and our own brilliant blue Philenor butter- 
fly (Papilio Philenor, L.,) others are of the shape of snails, thickest in 
the mi(ldle and tapering at either end. To this class belongs our graceful 
Ajax butterfly, (Papilio Ajox, L.) Others are swollen near the head, as in 
the Troilus, (Papilio Troilus, L.,) which feeds on the sassafras. All of 
the species belonging to this genus protrude at will, when disturbed, from 
the neck, a fleshy yellowish or pink Y shaped process, which emits a disa- 
greeable smell. 

The worms of the White Butterflies, (Pieris, Colias, etc.,) conspicuous 
amongst which are the everlasting cabbage pest, (Pieris Pajy^,) and the 
common yellow mud butterfly, always seen congregated in wagon ruls and 
puddles in country roads, are mostly green and inconspicuous, not easily 
to be distinguished from the leaves on which they feed. The little blue 
and coi)i)er butterflies (Lycaenidse) of our own meadows, are produced 
from small, oval, apparently footless larva?. By the way, it is well worth 
while to mention of these Lycaenid larvte, that a sweet juice exudes from 
their bodies, which is greatly sought by ants, who will not injure the worm, 
but on the contrary take all possible care to do nothing to annoy it. In 
the pearl spotted butterflies, (Argynnis.) the painted lady, (Pyrameis 
Gardui, L.,) the Atalanta, (P. Atalanta, L.,) etc., the caterpillars are cov- 
*ered with long, rigid, sharp spines, The tSkippers, (Hesperidse,) a large 



10 

family mostly of small butterflies that fly by jerks, hence their name, have 
smooth, pale worms, tapering- at each end, and with thin necks and enor- 
mous heads. The Hawk moth worms. (Sphingidse,) among which are the 
tobacco worm, (Sphinx Carolina, L.,) the clear wing- humming-bird 
moth, (il/acro(//o.s\s-a Thi/sbe^ Fabr.,) etc., are in most cases known by a 
long, pointed, somewhat curved horn, on the top of the last joint of the 
body, which the uninitiated generality mistake for its head. The monstrous 
and ferocious looking green worm of the hickory horned moth, is fur- 
nished with eight large curved horns on the neck, but formidable as this 
monster seems, it is perfectly harmless, and mial)le to cause any injury. 

Not so, however, with the curious lo moth worms, which feed on corn, 
willow, cotton, and many other things, and the Maia worms, (i/(^?)u7(-uca 
Mala, Dru.) These are covered with branched processes or spines, which, 
if the worm be handled, cause excessive pain and redness ot the parts of 
several hours duration. The first of these is pale pea-green, wiiji a narrow 
red and white stripe along the whole length of each side. The other is 
yellowish, with red spots on the back and a stripe on each side. To these 
stinging caterpillars I should add the remarkably shaped footless larva^ of 
some of the Limacodes, the best known of which is the common saddle- 
l»ack worm, {Empretia Siimulea, Clem.,) which every one having rose 
bushes has at one time or another observed. It is a chuids;y, square sort of 
little fellow, an inch l*)ng, of a dark chestnut color, with a large i)ea-green 
saddle-shai)ed mark covering the back and sides. In the center of this 
mark, on the back, is a circular pa'cli of the brown color. This worm has 
four fleshy horns covered with short bristles, two at each end of the body; 
and woe Ijetide the one who meddles with these with nnprotecU'd hands, or 
allows them to come anywhere in contact with the bare skin. Phew! net- 
tles are nowhere. Another of these Limacodes larva {Limacodea PilJie- 
cium, Ab.-S.) is flat, of a uniform dark-brown color, with four long curved 
fleshy arms or hooks issuing from each side at right angles. These appur- 
tenances become detached very easily if the worm be handled, and it con- 
trives to take them off itself before spinning its pupa case, to the outside 
of which it attaches them as trophies or atrophies. This little worm has a 
Victor Hugo devil-flsh sort of look, but cannot sting, and is perfectly harm- 
less. The small larva^ of the moths of an allied genus (Lagoa) look ex- 
actly like a close bunch or tuft of wool or raw cotton. Ajn'opos of this 
su]>ject of stinging caterpillars, I saw a year or two, or more since, in one 
of the New York weekly story papers, that sports a "science colunm," a 
long account of stinging larvie found in Australia, copied from the ])roceed- 
ings of some seientiflc society, I believe. This was all so far very well, but 
nnfortunately the editor of this same science department found it necessary 
to supplement the article with a few original observations of his own, the 
principal one being a bare-faced assertion that stinging larva' were so far 
only found in Australia. Some one should have sent him some of our 
common saddle-back worms, or those of the lo moth, to convince him prac- 
tically of the error of his ways. I did drop him a note stating that we had 
several common si)ecies of stinging larviis in this country, wliich had long- 
been well known, bu^ no correction of his mistake appeared. I related the 
incident to friend Fuller, then of the Neiv York Rural, who comforted me 
by exclaiming, " What ! do you think a newspaper would correct its own 
errors? An editor can never make mistakes." We both laughed heartily, 
for friend Fuller would have been the first to correct his own or anybody 
else's mistakes as soon as he became aware of their existence ; but the aboA-'e 
shows badly for that great enlightener of the masses — the popular public 
press. 



11 

In the HarpyiiTp, ( Centra of American authors,) the extremity of the 
body is armed with two long- horns, each of which encases another horn 
which the animal darts out when annoyed. Every one is ac jnainted with 
the beautiful brush tufted caterpillar, with its bright red head, four sliort 
3'ellow brashes set in the black velvet of its back, and two long feathery 
tufts at the head, and one at the tail; it is the worm of that nuisance the 
Tussock moth, {Orgijm Leucostigma, Abb.-8.,) whose cocoons, with the 
white froth-like substance on them that covers the eggs, are foiuid every- 
where. The perfect insect is a very inconspicuous thing, the male being a 
small gray moth, and the female, which is wingless, has much the ai)pear- 
ance of an over-fed maggot. Many larv;\^ reseml)le, whilst at rest, so closely 
the substances on which they repose, that their presence will often fail to 
be detected by the most prac^ced eye. Among such I might mention the 
Lappet moths ( Tolype Velledo^ StoU., T. Punctistriga^ Wlk.) These, when 
at rest on the trunk of an apple tree, the leaves of which are their favorite 
food, so closely resemble in color the bark, that it is almost impossible to 
discover them. Nor must w'e allow the curious measuring or span worm 
{Phalaenidse) to pass unnoticed ; these have the habit of holding on to a 
liml) by their anal or last pair of legs, and allowing the body to stand rig- 
idly out at an angle of about fifty-five degrees, and when in this position, 
further aided by their green or brownish color, the eye may rest on them 
without a suspicion that they are animate objects. When in motion, owing 
to the distance Ijetween the legs and prolegs being so great, they curve up 
their body at every step in the form of an arch or horse shoe, hence their 
name of semi-loopers. 

Whilst on this subject of the resemblance of larva^ to other objects, com- 
monly though improperly termed mimicry, it might not be amiss to recur 
to a few instances of this so-called mimicry in the perfect insects, the moths 
and butterflies. Foremost among these I would name the Catocalae, or 
nnclerwings. These are mostly large moths, frequenting the trees in our 
woods, on various kinds of which their larvse feed. The body and upper 
wings are grey or brown, variously mottled in darker shades and marks. 
The lower wings are either bright red, or yellow with black bands, or else 
entirely black; and one exceptional species in this country has the hind 
wings black, with a white cross-band. When at rest the grey or brown 
upper wings entirely cover and conceal the conspicuous-colored underwings, 
and when the insect is in this position on the trunk of a tree, wliicli is its 
general resting place, it assimulates so closely in a]^pearance to the l)ark 
and the lichens growing thereon, that it is detected with difficulty, even 
when searched for; and what is still more curious, is that the paler species 
appear always to rest on bark of some analogous color, and the darker ones 
on that simulating their color. One species {Catocala Gara, (luen.,) has 
the upper wings of a far deeper shade than in most of the other species, 
appearing, at a casual glance, to be almost black; and, strange to relate, in 
a piece of woods where I was collecting on one occasion, all the examples 
of this species which I foimd were clustered on some huge black warty ex- 
crescences on an old tree, the color of which was nearly the same dingy 
hue as the wings of the insect. This is no isolated instance, but the rule, 
not the exception. It is this resemblance to lichen, etc., that has caused 
them to be called in France Lichnees,as Lichnee Bleue,for the blue-banded 
nnderwing ; Lichnee Jaune, for the yellow, and so on. 

Another moth, l)elonging to a different family, known as the American 
Lappet moth, (Gnstropacha Americana^ Ilarr.,) when at rest precisely re- 
seml)les, both in shape and color, a dead leaf; hence the name of Feuille- 
Morte, given to an allied species, {Qastropa^cha Querci/olia^ L.) 



12 

Other Lepidoptcrous insects resemble wasps and bees; the moths of the 
peach, currant, and other horers, (Sesiidee,) are complete counterfeits of 
Hymenopterous insects, exceptins: that they are powerless to stin<>-. 

The cle:i r-winoed Hawk moths ( MacrogloKsa I) iffm is , Bdl. , Axillaris , ( i . — 
R., JEthra., Streck., etc.) are the counterparts of large bees, their bodies 
being thick, short, and covered with black and yellow hair, and their wings, 
excepting the narrow outer margin, are devoid of scales, and are clear as 
glass, which makes the deception complete. From this resemblance, one 
of tiu> common European si)ecies is known as M. Bomhylifoi'mis^ or the 
bee-shai)ed Hawk moth. What still further aids the deception is that all 
these bee and wasp reseml)ling moths fly in daylight, not during the night, 
as do the vast majority of moths. A class of true day butterflies, common 
to tropical America, belonging to the genus Ithomia, also have the wings 
nearly devoid of the colored scales, and, conserpiently, are quite transpar- 
ent ; this, in addition to their slender, needle-like bodies, gives them con- 
siderable resemblance to dragon flies and other neuropterous insecKs. Not 
the least curious instance of involuntary mimicry is the remarkable resem- 
blance which some butterflies and moths bear to others of entirely and 
widely distinct genera, or even families. In our own country we have an 
instance in the common reddish Misippus Initterfly, {Limenitis 3Iisippus^ 
L.,) which is the close counterpart in shape, size, color, and markings to 
another common species, the Plexippus, (Danais Plexippus, L.,) which 
belongs to the Danaida-, a family widely separated from the flrst, which is 
one of the Nymphalidie. In Florida and other southern States is anol her 
species of Danais called Berenice, {Danais Berenice, Cr.,) which is dark 
brown, instead of the bright rust red of the more wide-spread Plexippus. 
Now the lirst mentioned species, Misippus, likewise occurs in the same lo- 
calities as Berenice, but, curious to relate, instead of being of the liright 
red color that is one of the leading features in its resemblance to Plexiitpus, 
it is in these southern exam])les of the same deep brown as Berenice. 
This Misi])[)us butterfly, I should add, is the only one of its genus that is 
red, the tyi)ical colors being black or dark brown, with a Avhite band cross- 
ing the wings, whilst the species of that group of Danai;^^ to which Plex- 
ij)pus and Berenice belongs are of reddish rust color, of darker or lighter 
shades. 

In connection with the preceding, I will mention the more curious, though 
analogous, case of the CMirysippus, {Danais Chrysippus, L.,) which occurs in 
most parts of Africa, Asia, the Paciflc islands, as well as in south-eastern 
Eurojje. This is, in its ordinary form, of a i)aler red than our Plexippus, 
more inclined to yellowish ; otherwise marked much in the same way. In 
Senegal there is a variety of it with white hind Avings, (X'aMa/.s v. Ah-ippiis, 
Cr.,) and in Syria and Abysinia is an alterrant form, in which the white 
spots contained in the l)lack patch near the points of the front wings, in 
the common form, is wanting. This variety is known as the Dorii)pus. 
(Danais v. Dorippus, King.) 

There is a genus of beautiful ]>utterflies in the family of Nymi)halida», 
called Diadema, whose colors are black, with bluish shades or patches, and 
in the shai)e of the wings it is fuller and rounder in outline than the afore- 
said Danais butterflies ; but now mark: the female, and that sex only, of 
one single si)ecies of these, (Diadema Bolina^ L.,) departs entirely from 
the normal black and bhu^ forms to such an extent as to resemble so closely 
the yellowish red Ohrysipinis, not only in color and ornamentation, l)ut 
even in shai)e, as to be almost undistinguishal)le from it. But, further, 
this feinale Diadema, when occurring in Senegal, sometimes varies in hav- 
ing the hind wings whitish, like the variety of C'hrisii)pus previously alluded 



13 

to from that country under the name of Alcippns. Ao-ain, in other in- 
stances it is found entirely without the white spots and black patch of front 
wings, thus beeomino- an exact imitation of the other variety Dorippus. All 
the males of the butterflies of the genus Danais have, on the second median 
nervule or vein of the hind wings, a small, hard, black knot-like spot, which 
is a sexual distinction, the females being entirely without it. So, to make 
the imitation still more nearly perfect, in the female of the Bolina butterlly 
there also are no traces of any such spot. So close is, in fact, the outward 
resemblance between these generically widely different insects, that the old 
authors ligured and described them as one and the same. Nor have I yet 
done with this marvelous freak and its adjuncts, for, " like the circle that 
ever returneth in to the selfsame spot," it lias led us back to the starting- 
point of this topic, the Misippus butterlly; for in this also occurs a variety 
in which the white and black si)ots and marks near the apices of the front 
wings are entirely gone, thus keei)ing up the same form exhibit^ed by the 
varieties of the other widely different insects Chrysippns and Bolina. I 
might go still further, tor in the green-colored butterflies of the African 
genus Eomalxosoma there is another of those red mimics. But I will 
cease, for the subject is a vast one, and as yet a mystery profound, even to 
science, which is utterly at a loss as to what are the causes. No one would 
imagine that these are the wild freaks of chance. Nature is methodical. 
Her law, like that of Heaven, is order. Everything is done in beautiful 
harmony. That this resemblance in these instances is for protection, as 
is strongly advocated, I do not believe. 

The species of Danais butterllies that are mimicked are nauseous and un- 
palatable to birds and predatory insects, and thus enjoy perfect immunity 
from such foes. It has on this account been reasoned that the Misippus, 
which resembles them, enjoys like immunity, on account of its livery being 
like theirs, and so totally unlike that of all its relations. This, however, 
is without a particle of foundation, beyond that existing in the imagination 
of its originators. The other species of Limenitis butterllies, (the genus to 
which Misippus belongs,) are just as common, sometimes more so where 
circumstances and surroundings are favorable. In the wilds of Luzerne 
county, Pennsylvania, I saw, probably, one hundred of the Arthemis, (a 
species belonging to the same genus,) to every one of the Misippus, and it 
was not for want of foes that either escaped, for the dense forest was alive 
with l)irds, and the lace-like wings of the dragon-flies, (Aeschna, Agrion, 
etc..) glistened as they darted here and there, or hovered in mid-air over 
the pools and trout streams. In our neighborhood, near Reading, another 
species, Ephestion, (Limenitis Ejjhestion, Stoll,) which is black and blue, 
is found in about equal numbers with Misippus. In some localities, more 
westward, the first is commoner than the last named species. In South 
America the glades in the forests swarm with certain long narrow-winged 
bright-colored butterflies, belonging to various genera in the Danaidiv and 
Heliconid;v, which birds will not eat owing to their disagreeable taste and 
smell. These have analogues in appearance, which, for convenience sake 
we will call mimics, in several other families, especially among the Pierida?, 
or white b'utterflies, and in the Melitae;v, a genus of small butterflies, the 
normal forms of which have wings of a reddish or tawney color, marked 
with black. Now the genus of the Pieridjv, which mimics the narrow 
winged unpalatal)le Heliconidfc, and which technically is known by the 
name of Leptalis, contains just about the scarcest of all the butterflies in 
that family, and the nearer they approach the Heliconidaa in appearance, 
the scarcer they are in nearly all cases ; and the commonest of all are just 
the ones which recede furthest from the Heliconid^ and approach nearest 



14 

to tlie typical broad wini2:ed, white Pieris butterflies. Any one who has 
collected exotic butterflies will l)ear me out in this statement as to the ex- 
treme rarity of the si)ecies of Leptalis. 

In every collec' ion comino; from Central or South America, will be found 
great numbers of common forms of white and yellow Pierid;^^ but seldom 
indeed more than a few, if any, of the aberrant Lep^alid forms which re- 
semble so closely the Danaidiv and Heliconid.;\?. But I have di<iTessed,and 
must return to the matter mr)re directly under consideration. The re- 
semblance of butterflies to other ol)jects, is no*: confined to the perfect in- 
sect, or even to the larva or caterpillar only, but also to the chrysalids and 
cocoons, or pupa cases, which they construct. All collectors know how 
difficult it is to detect the cocoons of the larger moths, Cecropia, Prome- 
thea, etc., from the dead leaves that surround them. And to every one is 
also known the curious sack which contains the worm, then the chrysalis, 
and lastly the eT;2:s of the moth, commonly known as the bag worm, or 
drop worm, ( Th yri dopier yx Ephemeraeformis^ Steph.) This is formed 
of silk by the worm, and covered with bits of leaves and stems of whatever 
particular tree it has favored. For this species is a general feeder, attack- 
ing anvtliing from a gooselierry bush to a pine tree. The male only is 
winged, and its wings being transparent and narrow, it resembles some bee 
or fly more than a moth. The female receives her mate without leaving the 
sack in which she afterAvards deposits her eggs, and then only for the first 
and last time tJuring her existence, does she quit it to fall to the ground 
and die. In some exotic species, the female remains in the sack after she 
has laid all her eggs, and dying there, becomes the first food the young 
larva consumes after emerging from the egg. Most of these insects are 
embraced in the two genera, Oiketicu^ and Psyche. Ours and those of Eu- 
rope are very pigmies aside of some from the tropics, for instance the 
Oiketicus Saundersii, of Westwood, from Australia, the female of •\Ahich 
forms a sack seven inclies long. 

One species in Tyrol, in which both sexes are winged. ( Typhonia Lugu- 
bris,) forms its sack with grains of sand, in the form of a long cyndrical 
tube. Most curious of all, comiiosed of like material, in the form of a snail 
shell, is the pu])a case of Psyche Helix, figured in Sieltold's Parthenogeno- 
sis. So deceptive is theajipearanceof thisand allied si»eciesthat one kind, 
found in the Atlantic States, from Nova Scotia southwards, which is ])re- 
sumably of some species of Psyche, was actually descril)e(l, by the conchol- 
ogist Lea, as a shell, under the name of Valvata Arenifera. 

Of insect architectui-e, which is partly eml)i-aced in the foregoing, I have 
not space to add much more than to allude to the enormous webs, some- 
times nine or ten inches in diameter, s|)un by colonies of worms, the larviB 
of the Lacquey moth, {Clisiocampa Americana, ^^yv.,) on our fruit trees. 
From the hole in this web tent emerge the throng of worms in military or- 
der, twice daily, (morning and afternoon,) to feed on the surrounding foli- 
age ; on rainy days they remain indoors, and do not feed. When full- 
grown, they break up house-keeping, and disperse, each one going its way 
in search of some suitable place to spin its cocoon. These worms are a 
great nuisance, but as they live in company, in their large, conspicuous 
tents on the trees until mature, they are easily destroyed. Another allied 
species (Clisiocampa Sylvatica, Harr.,) lives on our foix'st trees. 

Whilst on the subject of mimicry in butterflies, I had intended to make 
some reference to monstrosities, and will devote some space to the same. 
It sometimes hajjpens that from a brood of caterpillars, emerged from a 
batch of eggs laid l)y one female, there will in due time be among the but- 
terflies therefrom produced one that differs in coloration and marking — 



15 

sometimes even in shape — from all the others of the same brood. These 
freaks or aberrations are sometimes far handsomer than the normal form, 
and always of great interest, as we can have so little idea of the causes 
producing them. In most cases they are unicjue, and remain so, but more 
seldom they are repeated, turning up again at long intervals. The common 
painted lady butterily {Pyrameis (Jardui, L.,) occurs sometimes with the 
underside of the wings almost wholly Avhite. and the upper side with the 
red-ground color crowding out the black to a large extent. In others it is 
just the reverse, the black obscuring most of the wings on both surfaces. 
Of this black form I know of two exami)les, one in Europe and one in my 
own collection. Trimen also mentions examples taken at the Cape of Good 
Hope. Of the first, or white aberration, besides Rambur's type, and the 
original of Herrich-Schiifier's figures, I am aware of the existence of five — 
one in Europe and four here. Of the latter, I have the good furtune to pos- 
sess one ; and there was a curious coincidence in my obtaining it. A few 
wrecks since I was at the Academy of Natural Sciences, of Philadelphia. 
Whilst there I noticed on a table a number of books and pamphlets, lately 
received, among them a late number of the Annales Societe Entomologique 
Belgi(pie. In turning over its leaves, I lighted on a plate with five figures, 
the upper two resembling the black form alluded to, and the next the white 
aberration, taken from examples recently captured. I closed the book with 
a despondent feeling. There, I thought, some one else has had the luck to 
get that wonderful thing; I don't suppose 111 ever be so fortunate. The 
day had been cold, and drizzling rain kept up unceasingly. I had a wretched 
cold myself, and as the shades of evening came on I debated whether I 
should s})end the evening with my friend Blake, curator of entomolog}' at 
the academy, or creep into the dreary confines of a hotel room and snooze 
off the blues. Still debating the matter, I listlessly walked on in the direc- 
tion of my friend's domicile, and at last as listlessly reached it, where warm 
welcome and friendly faces banished the blues and my weariness. " By the 
wa}'," said my friend, " I got, from so and so, a pale (Jardui. He caught it 
down near the sand-pit, and had it pinned in one of his butterfly pictures." 
"I suppose it is faded from being hung up in the picture, not so?" I re- 
sponded. " You will see it after supper," he said. There it rested. An 
hour or two later, in looking over his collection, when the box containing 
the Vanessans was opened, lo and behold there, pinned, reverse side up, 
was the counterpart in nature of the picture I had seen a few hours before 
at the academy. I thought of clairvoyance, of second sight, and of more 
things than are dreamed of in our philosophy. To end the story, my old 
friend, with his usual good heartedness, presented me with the wonderful 
insect, which now is one of the choicest adornments of my cabinet. 

Some monstrosities have the marks of the wings of one side different 
from those of the other. I have seen an example of the Utah silk worm 
moth {Samia Gloveri, Streck.,) a species allied to our Cecropia, which had 
the left wings of the normal dark red color, whilst those on the right w^ere 
entirely white. I have given a figure of this curious sport on Plate 14 of 
the indigenous and exotic Lepidoptera. Others occur which are entirely 
albinous. I received not long since, from Germany, an example of Epin- 
ephile Hispulla, Hiib.,a butterfly that, normally, is dark brown, which was 
an albino, ha\ing all the marks of the ordinary form faindy defined ; but 
the brown ground color, peculiar to the whole insect, was replaced by yel- 
lowish white. Of our common yellow mud butterfly, I have examples that 
are entirely black. These, of course, are only freaks, and do not reproduce 
their kind; but other aberrations have became, tlirough change of climate, 
food, or other causes but imperfectly known, to all purposes, species, pro- 



16 

(luciiiij; their kind from season to season. Thus the Cynthia silk worm, 
acclimated with ns many .years, is no longer the Cynthia of China, its orig- 
inal progenitor. The strongly falcate narrow wings of the Asiatic type of 
Attaci is replaced l)y the broad rounded form of those of North America, 
as in Gt'cropia and Angulifera. 

The great tiger moth {Arctia Caja, L.) has, in North America, a white 
collar. In European examples, this adornment is only occasional, being 
the exception, not the rule; but both American and European examples 
have orange colored hind wings. In Asia Minor, (Amasia and Tokat,) 
the female only has the orange hind wings ; in the male they are pure 
white. In British Columbia, the common swallow tail butterfly (Papilio 
Turnus^ L.,) is small, and the female is always the same yellow color as 
the male. In Pennsylvania, and southwards, it is a dimorphic species, hav- 
ing two forms of females ; one yellow like the male, the other entirely 
black. So I might go on ; but this is enough to illustrate the subject. 

Among the butterflies true hermaphrodites occur, at least as far as all 
outward signs exhibit. In my possession is an example of the common 
dimorphic swallow-tailed butterfly just mentioned, in which the right side 
of the body and two right wings are yellow and male, and the left half of 
the l)od.y and left wings are black female. The division of the sexes is per- 
fect, in this example, even to the anal valve on the male side. 

Another instance is of the Promethea moth, (Attacus Promethea, Dru.,) 
in which the right wings and right half of the body, the head, and both 
anf^enuiv, or feelers, are male, and the left half of the body and bolh left 
wings are female, I have also an example of tlie lo moth, (Hypercheria 
lo, Eal).,) which is slill more curious; the body, the left anteinia, the left 
ni)per wing, and both right and left hind wings, are male; whilst the right 
antenna, a small patch on the right side of thorax, and three fourths of the 
right ui)per wing, are female, and the one fourth, along its inner edge, is 
also male. This sexually was doubtless male, as it was captured whilst 
endeavoring to copulate with a female which had newly emerged from the 
chrysalis in a friend's house, in Hudson City, New Jersey. Of this mixed 
up sort of hermaphroditism, I have also two examples of the Philenor 
butterfly, {Papilio Philenor^ L.,) in which parts of three wings are male, 
and part female. An example of the Prometliea moth of this kind is re- 
corded in the fourth volume of the Proceedings of the Entomological Soci- 
et}' of Philadelphia. 

An example of the Castor butterfly, (Papilio CaMor, West.,) is figured 
and described in the Wiener Entomologische Monatschrift, in which there 
is the same utter confusion of sexes. Others are recorded, and in various 
collections, but I have cited enough to give some fair idea of this species 
of abnormity, though I will yet add that there is another form, known to 
have occurred in some Hymenopterous insects, though never so far in but- 
terflies or moths. It is where the thorax, head, and frcnit wings are of one 
sex, and the abdomen and hind wings of the other. 

Another curious monstrosity has occurred in the female of the common 
swallow-tail butterfly, (Papilio Ihwmis, L.) Tliis si)ecies, as I have men- 
tioned, lias two kinds of females — one black and one yellow. In the exam- 
ple I now allude to, the two wings on one side, and half the body towards 
the same, are yellow, and the other half of the body and two Avings are 
1)l;ick. At first appearance it looked like the hermaphrodite previously de- 
scribed, but closer examination showed it to be a blending of the two forms 
of one sex. Those persons who have one eye blue and the other l)rown 
are, I suppose, somewhat analogous examples in the higher animals, though 



n 

if one existed which Avas longitudinally divided into blonde and brunette 
half and half, it would 1)e a better illustration still. 

Another form of monstrosity is that produced by the pairing of the male 
of one species with the female of another. The offspring of such illicit in- 
tercourse partakes of the character of both parents, most curiously and 
beautifully blended. A very curious thing in regard to these hyln-ids, 
emanate they from what species they may, is that they are invariably of 
the male sex. I never saw or knew of any of the other sex being recorded 
as having occurred, Nor is the production of hybrids of sufficient rarity 
to cause the surmise that we know of too few examples to base such a be- 
lief upon, as of several species in Europe they have been produced in con- 
finement by the hundred, as in the case of the pairing of the eyed willow 
Hawk-moth {SmerirUhus OceJlatus, L.,) with the poplar .Hawk-moth, (S. 
Fopuli, L.) Whetlier bastards are able to aid in the rei)roduction of si)e- 
cies by coupling with examples of the species of either parent, I am unable 
to say, but doubt very much if they can. 

Having now^ treated of variations, etc., it might not be amiss to say some- 
thing in regard to the geographical distril)ntion of species and their bearing 
to each other, in the different parts of the world, as well as express some 
ideas in regard to the belief that they are all but the emanations from some 
one original form, existing many millions of years since ; as I am no be- 
liever in the especial creation of each species, which doctrine is directly 
disproved by the fossil butterflies, of which, as far as have been discovered, 
not one is of any species now known to exist. Moreover, a careful study 
of the moths and butterflies of different parts of the world will show how 
wondrously they are linked together, not only in a continuous line, but 
interlinking, as the rings in a coat of chain armor, and that, too, by species 
and genera in countries as widely remote from each other as Buenos Ayres 
and Australia. The forms found in some genera or groups seem none of 
them to have yet died out, as for instance in some groups of the Asiatic 
genus Euplcea, in which no man can tell which are species or which varie- 
ties, one has only the choice of designating the whole group as one species, 
or of making a species of every individual example. 

But now to speak of the geographical distribution. The butterflies of 
Labrador, British Columbia, tliat part of the United States and Territories 
on the Pacific side of the llocky Mountains, Persia, Siberia, Europe and 
northern Africa, (Algiers, Morocco, Tunis, and Egypt,) are in a great meas- 
ure analogous, and in some instances species are identical. The Antilles, 
Mexico, Central America, and South America, exclusive of Chili, Buenos 
Aj^res, and Patagonia, have a fauna of their own, wonderful for its diver- 
sity and glorious beauty, and they are the richest sections in the whole 
world in these insects. Many more species may be taken within a circuit 
of forty miles near Para than are found in all Europe. India, the southern 
half of China, and the Malaysian and Australasian islands have another and 
distinct fauna, also great in numbers of species, remarkable for strange 
foi-m and splendid coloring. In Australia, in this as in the other animals, 
there is a tendency to some departure from the forms of the neighboring 
islands. Africa, excepting Elgypt and adjacent parts, and those parts north 
of the Great Desert, has its own peculiar fauna, to which that of the neigh- 
boring great island of Madagascar assimilates. Of Thibet and Central 
Asia we as yet know next to nothing. 

Now, having taken a cursory view of the disposition of the Lepidopterous 
fauna in most parts of the world, including onr own western coast, we will 
direct our study to that of the portion of the United States east of the 
Rocky Mountains, which we will find, in many instances, partaking of the 



18 

character of those from most other countries. The nearest anah)oue to 
the }j;reat bird-wing Initterilies, (Ornifhoptera Priamus, etc.,) of Malaysia 
and Australasia, is found in owr Philenor l)uttertiy. Our Troilus Inittertly 
is also nearly allied to Asiatic species, but not to any one in the new world. 
With the exception o^ Phaeton and Harrisii {Melitaea Phaeton^ I)ru.,and 
M. Harrisii, iScud.,) the analogues of our JNLelitaea, {Eresia of some au- 
thors,) a class of little orange or rust colored buttertlies, are to searched 
for in Brazil, and other parts of tropical America ; whilst the species of the 
same genus, west of the Rocky Mountains, are the closest allies to p]uropean 
and Sil)erian species. The species nearest to our only two Aurora butter- 
tlies {Anfhocharis Genutia^ Fab. et A. Olympia, Edw.,) are one (^4. Scoly- 
mus, Butl.,)in Japan, and the other {Zegris Eupheme, Esp., etc.) in South 
Russia and Turan. Of the two species of Colias we possess, the common 
yellow butterfly, found sitting near puddles and in wagon ruts, is, without 
doubt, a modilication of the sub-polar Pelidne butterfly {Colias Pelidne, 
Bdl.) Of the curious long-snouted Libytheidae we have our share, three 
being at home here. These are, however, doubtless all forms of one si)ecies ; 
besides these, there are ten others — one in Cuba, two in Ilindostan, one in 
(Jeylon, three in the Malaysian Islands, one in Europe, and two in Africa. 
The nearest species to our superb Diana butterfly {Argyvnts Diana, Cram.,) 
is found in the Chinese Sagana, (Argynnis Sagana, Dbldy. — Hew.) Our 
tSemidea butterfly, found only on tiie summit of Mount Washington, in New 
llam})shire, has its true home in north-western Labrador. 

Now, turning from the day butterflies to the moths, we find that our 
peerless Luna moth {Actios Luna, L.,) belongs to a genus whose other 
members are found only in India and Africa. For the nearest kin to our 
rromelhea, Polyphemus, and other large silk spinners, Ave must also look 
to Asia and Africa. Of the underwing moths, {Cafocala,) the United 
States and Territories have more than double the number found in all the 
other parts of the world together. In Arizona, as far as the comparatively 
small portion of species known will allow us to judge, is exhibited in a 
large number of species a tendency to pale or albinous forms, the most 
remarkal)le oT which is the Alma hnttevi\y,{3Ielitaea Alma, Streck.,) which 
is an albiuo analogue, or variety, perhaps, of the Califoruian Leauira but- 
terfly, {]\I. Leanira, Bdl.,) and Sphinx Elsa, a Hawk moth, which is a 
while represeuiative of our more eastern Plum Hawk moth, {Sphinx Drupi- 
ferarum, Abb.-S.,) also, the wonderful wdite female of the Nokomis but- 
terily, {Argynnis Nokomis, Edwd.,) a probable variety of our Cybele bnt- 
terily , {A. (Jylx'le, Fabr.) That the saltness and dryness of the arid regions 
producuig tliem accounts in some measure for the prevalence of these pale 
abnormal forms, is in the highest degree i)rol)able. 

Some few species common to the United States are also perfect cosmop- 
olites. 'Vhe " painted lady '' butterfly {Pyrameis Cardui, L.) is found in 
every i)art of the wc^rld. The Antiopa ( Vanessa Antiopa^ L.) is common 
to all parts of North America except the extreme north or polar regions, 
and is also foiuid all over Europe, and in Siberia and Japan. Leucania 
Unipiincta, the " army worm," is also found in many parts of the world. 
The Plexippus butterfly {Danais Plexippus^ L.) has been within a few 
years introduced, by easy stages doubtless, from our own country to Aus- 
tralia, where it is as common now as with us; the chrysalis, or even the 
perfect liy, for it is hardy, doubtless was through commerce carried from 
San Francisco to some point not far distant in the Pacific, and from thence 
further, and so on until Australia was reached. 

Of species introduced from abroad, and now thoroughly acclima-ed here, 
we have the White Cabbage lly, so ofceu and unfavorably spoken of, the 



19 

Currant borer, (Sesia Tipuliformis^) and tlie G.yntliia moth. As yet, no 
example of any fossil bu' tertly has been found in the New World, though 
many of other orders {Hymenoptera, Dij)tera^ etc.) abound in the shale of 
Colorado. All the Fossil Lepidoptera known, about a dozen examples, are 
from Europe; five from Aix, in Provence, in France; four from Radobqj, 
in Croatia, one from Germany, and three from England. (On these last, 
some doubt has been thrown as to their being butterflies at all.) As far as 
I can determine from figures and descriptions, one of them ( Vanessa Atava, 
Charp.,) is of the same genus as several that occur in the United States, 
(such as Vanessa Californica, Bdl., V. Vau-album, W. Y., etc.) And 
three others, {Pierites Freyeri, Heer, Thanatites Vetula^ Heyden, and 
Pamphilites Abdifa, Scud.,) belong to supposed extinct genera, allied to 
the existing Pieris, Nisoniades, and Pamphila, all largely, and the last two 
principally found in the United States ; two of the others, ( Cyllo SepiiUa, 
Bdl., and Leihites Beyrtesii^'^cud.^) are apparently allied to our Portlandia 
butterfly, (Debis Porllandia^ Fabr.,) all the other representatives of whose 
genus are Asiatic. Of the remaining species, all belong to genera which 
have no liAdng representative. The one described by Heer as Thaites 
Ruminiana^ I consider the most interesting. It appears to be, as Scudder 
suggests, (in Proc. American Association I, pages 57-62, Plate III, Figures 
1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,) allied somewhat to the modei'n genera Thais and Par- 
nassius, but I fear the figure of the restoration (Figs. 3,2, c.) was founded 
as much on a knowledge of species of those genera, as on the fossil itself. 
Without there being any similarity worth noticing in detail, this same 
restoration reminds me forcibly of Doritis Appolinus, Hhst., a butterfly 
belonging to, and comprising a genus allied to Thais and Parnassius men- 
tioned. 

From what I have stated here, as well as elsewhere in this paper, it will 
be seen how necessary it is for the student, in endeavouring to attain some 
fair knowledge of the study, to devote attention to the species from other 
countries as well as from our own, for all are but links in one continuous 
chain, and many apparently inexplicable points become clearly explained 
by a knowledge of the genera and species comprising the fauna^ of other 
lands ; for nature has set no township or county lines in these matters. All 
are but integral parts of one great system. I do not l\y this advise any 
one to undertake the frightful task of making a collection of butterflies 
from all parts of this earth ; but time devoted to the study of such authors 
as Westwood, Hewitson, Felder, Boisduval, and others, will not be misap- 
plied ; but, of course, a fair acquaintance with our own species should first 
engage the attention. One of the earliest books treating solel^y on butter- 
flies and moths of North America, was that of Abbot and Smith, on the 
Lepidoptera of Georgia, published in 1797, in two large volumes, with one 
hundred and four colored plates, representing the insects in all their stages. 
Boisduval and Le Conte published the next principal work, the Histoire 
generale et iconographie, etc., in 1833, with seventy-eight colored plates; 
this is in French. Thomas Say, of Philadelphia, published three volumes 
of his American Entomology in 1824-1 828, with fifty-four colored plates of 
insects of various orders. 

Dr. Harris, in 1841, published his report on the insects injurious to vege- 
tation. Subsequently revised, enlarged editions were issued in 1842, 1852, 
and 1862. This work is standard, and too much cannot be said in its favor. 
The last edition (of 1862) is profusely illustrated with plain and colored 
plates of North American insects of all orders. Besides this. Dr. Harris 
wrote large numbers of articles on economic entomology for the various 
agricultural and scientific periodicals and journals of the day. 



20 

In 1802 the Snulhsoiiian Institution published a synopsis of all the then 
known Initterfles and moths, as far as the end of the J3oml)ycida% or Spin- 
ners, -which was compiled by the Kev. John U. Morris, D. I)., of Baltimore. 
Though many scores of species have since been discovered and described, 
this book can still be consulted with advantage to the student, as it contains 
short descriptions of all the species cited. 

Prominent among- those of the present time who have devoted themselves 
largely to the subject, esi)ecially in its relation to agriculture, is Prof. Town- 
end Glover, late Entomologist of the Agricultural Department, from which 
position he has at length been forced to retire, utterly broken down in 
health, the disastrous residt of years of untiring, incessant, self-abnegating 
labor in this l)ranch of science. Some slight idea of tliis man's wonderful 
industry and perseverenee may be formed from the fact that in default of 
the patronage that should have been given him by the Government he so 
long and faithfully served, he published small editions of five of his works 
for private distribution, in which not only were all the copperplates that 
illustrate them the work of his own hands, but the voluminous accompany- 
ing text was also lithographed by himself, after his official hours, in the 
time that others devote to rest and recreation. These works are. however, 
but a tithe of his labors, as besides the many agricultural reports, an im- 
mense amount of his manuscript is yet unpublished, which, unless the Gov- 
ernment takes some measures, I much fear will be lost to science. The 
extent of Prof. Glover's labors are yet to be estimated at their true value. 

Prof. C. V. Riley, his successor in otiice, has contributed largely to the 
knowledge of economic and scientilic entomology. Tlie "American Ento- 
mologist and Potanist," whicli was lirst published in conjunction with the 
late Benjamin I). Walsh, and latterly by himself solely, cannot be spoken 
of in terms sutliciently commendatory. It should, in fact, l)e in every- 
body's hand. His various reports on the noxious and benelicial insects of 
Missouri, issued whilst he was official entomologist to that State, are in- 
valuable. His discoveries in regard to the grape pest, the Phylloxi'ra, se- 
cured liim the honor of a gold medal, especially struck for the purpose, 
from the government of France. 

Dr. Asa Pitch, when State entomologist of New York, issued reports on 
the noxious, beneficial, and other insects of that Stale, during the years 
from 1855 to 1870, excepting only 1868. These contain a large amount of 
interesting matter, tlie result of careful, laborious study, but they are long 
out of print, and, unfortunately, exceedingly difficult to obtain. 

Prof. J. A. Lintner, of Albany, New York, has done much trntlifid, con- 
scientious work in his entomological contributions in tlie annual rei)orts of 
the New York State Museum of Natural History. 

Dr. A. S. Packard's noble work on the geometrid moths of North Amer- 
ica was issued under the auspices of the Government. The same autlior 
also issued, some years ago, a "Guide to the Study of Insecls, but unfor- 
tunately it is entirely too scientitic to be of any use whatever to anyone 
but the advanced student, who don't need it at all. 

A. S. Fuller, of Ridgewood, New Jersey, formerly connected with 
Tlfoore'.s llural Neio Yorker, and Prof. S. S. Rathvon, of the Lavcaster 
Farmer, are so well known to you all, and have both contributed so largely 
to entomological and agricultural literature, both pojjular and scientilic, 
that more than the mention of their names would be supertluous. 

W. AV. Saunders, the editor of the Canadian JEntomologht, has contrib- 
uted to a great extent to the knowledge of the transformation, habits, etc., 
of North American insects. Most of his articles are contained in the afore- 
said periodical, of which he has long been editor in chief. 



21 



In the biblioo-raphy of my lately issued text-book on North American 
butterflies and moths, I have endeavored to give a full list of the writings 
of all these authors mentioned, as well as of all others who have written 
on North American butterflies. 

Now, doubtless, you not only think it is time to make the beginnino- of 
the end, but even to make the end. That more attention is not given in 
this country to directing the youth to the study of nature in its various 
branches cannot be sufficiently deplored. In Europe every school boy has 
his herbal, or his collection of birds eggs, or of insects, or minerals, as the 
case may be, here most school boys waste their golden hours in bat and 
ball, in idleness and thoughtlessness, utterly ignorant that the only true 
mode of recreation lies in the change of occupation. Certainly it "is far 
more instructive, surely as healthful, "and produces far better results, to go 
into the fields and woods, where every leaf, worm, fly, aye even the ston'es 
we tread on, furnish matter for wonderment and admiration. Neither in 
pursuing such a course will ensue any of Ihe evil effects most always the 
result of the so called healtliful games, such as the loss of an eye, of front 
teeth, a broken arm, and permanently distorted or crippled fingers. It is 
true, there has been little encourageinent for these field and forest studies 
for it has only been within a very ifew years that the collecting of insects or 
"bugs" has not been considered in this country as prima facia exidence 
of a disordered intellect, and the few votaries of' entomology were obliged 
to keep their collecting implements out of sight until the "freedom of the 
woods was obtained. 

I recollect some ten or twelve years ago, one Sunday, whilst collectino- 
in a neglected field, near Bernhard's dain^that the proprietor of the grouncf, 
or of some neighboring territory, a pleasant, hale old gentleman, caiue down 
in his shirt sleeves to gratify his curiosity in regard to my doings. He 
first approached with the proper caution diie to nearing anequivocal ani- 
mal, but assuring himself by the placidity of my countenance, doulrcless 
that there was no apparent danger to be "dreaded, he appi-oached me, and 
in the Pennsylvania German dialect asked what I was doing. I showed 
him my collecting l)ox and its contents, my net, etc., and as at the moment 
a large female of the Ephestion Inittenly" flew near, I joined example to 
precept by capturing and killing and pinning it in my collecting box in his 
presence. The most diflicult part to make the old gentleman comprehend, 
was what the things could be used for after they were caught. I attempted 
an explanation. Whether I was successful in doing so to" his satisfaction I 
still doubt. However, he seemed pleased, and by way of explanation said, 
as he departed : " Ich haab dich gasayn for ein bar Suntaag here und durt 
so rum springe un ich hab gaydenkt du waarst so ein Kaerl wo nicht gons 
recht in kopf war, aber.''* Here he paused and looked puzzled, and I^fear 
to this day the worthy old husbandman, (bless his kindly face,) is still, if 
living, in a state of suspense as regards my being responsible for my actions 
before the Lord and my fellow-man. 

Later, however, since it has become more generally known that these 
tilings will actually sell for money, the discerning eye" of the public looks 
with considerably more leniency on the " bug hunter." In one instance 
a couple of years since, even such a distinguished functionary as a Elorida 
judge graciously vouchsafed to turn the energies of his great brain mat- 
ter in that direction, though in the case of so exalted a personage, it, 
of course, was by proxy he deciding like the bald eagle that feeds at 'the 

* "1 have seen you runnine: around laere and tliere for tlie last couple of Sundavs 
and I tlioiitjht you was one of tliose fellows who were not quite rioht in the UDoer 
story, but" 10 11 



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expense of the fish-hawk which catches the prey, to remunerate himself by 
thehibors of others, by seizina; tlie jjersons of two collectors from Michigan, 
Messrs. Hubbard and Schwarz,and iucnrceratino- them in the county jail as 
breakers of some local law that no o'ame should be taken out of the State. 

This embodiment of leu'al acumen hinted, that as he was a feeling man, 
the matter might be satistactorily adjusted for the moderate sum of fifty 
dollars, which these two gentlemen did not pay, Init after one night spent 
in " durance vile," managed to oljtain their freedom through the infiuence 
of some one in power, with a less fully developed bump of acquisitiveness 
than the worthy judge, who after all only followed out the instincts of his 
nature, as do most other animals. May the earth rest lightly on him here- 
after. 

Good friends, if I have been able to direct your attention to one fact of 
interest in our beautiful study, I am happy. I make my salam, and with- 
draw, content. 



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